Something About Her
by Levi Matthews
Summary: Shepard knows that the first human Spectre can't afford any distractions, but he can't seem to get his quarian squadmate out of his thoughts. He doesn't know why, but there's just something about her. NOT related to Finding a Way.


Prologue: Deliberations

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**Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with the Mass Effect series. Credit for this story goes to Bioware.**

**Song Credit: The majority of this chapter was written while listening to The Journey by Feint (ft. Veela). God Bless Feint and Veela.  
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**This chapter is dedicated to Agent 94. I'm watching you, you crafty rogue. ;)  
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The conference room aboard the SSV Kilimanjaro is little more than a dimly-lit room with a round table in the center of it. Eight chairs circle the table, but only five of them are in use at the moment. There is a single, long window that spans most of the room's length, but the twinkle of stars in the cold void is unappreciated by the room's occupants. Four of the most influential humans in the Systems Alliance are aboard the Kilimanjaro, and all of them are seated at the conference table.

Human Ambassador Donnel Udina rubs his forehead and makes another irritated sound. The man's muddy hazel eyes are weary with fatigue and there's a droop to his expression that indicates Udina's facial muscles lost a fight with gravity at some point. He's got an air about him, one that suggests its owner finds little worth smiling over.

There's an almost beady squint to the Ambassador's gaze as he glances at the files on the table in front of him. One hand holds up the file, the other runs its fingers through the receding crop of his graying hair.

"Well, what about Shepard?" The Ambassador begins, "He practically grew up on starships. Strong military background and longstanding familial ties to the Alliance." He sets the datapad back onto the table and smooths the front of a white Citadel-style suit that likely cost more credits than most people in the galaxy make in a year.

Next to him, Fleet Admiral Steven Hackett leans back in his seat and crosses his arms. His face is tracing of scars and lines, the marks of a man who's life has been defined by hard choices and conflict. The Admiral's eyes are strong, steel blue orbs that are as sharp and defined as the goatee that's been trimmed around his chin and mouth. His skin is white to the point of being pale, but the Admiral commands nothing but respect from those around him. He's the most celebrated hero in Alliance history, right up there with Jon Grissom.

Hackett's wearing his dress uniform, the blue and gold of a ship officer and his Alliance cap, but everyone at the table knows Hackett isn't one to stand on ceremony. The Admiral of the Fifth Fleet didn't get to his position by making sure that his clothes were in presentable shape before going to war. No, Hackett is a Fleet Admiral because of his tactical brilliance, his unwavering conviction against the most daunting of odds and the fierce, almost fanatical loyalty that he inspires from his troops.

"Hell of a soldier," Hackett agrees. "The Commander's been posted under my command more than a few times. Always got the job done, no matter how tough it might have been. That man is unstoppable."

"Shepard's a coward," Rear Admiral Mikhailovich says angrily. "We saw that first-hand on Akuze, damn him. Ran when the rest of his unit was getting ripped apart. That's not the mark of a Spectre candidate, much less a good soldier."

Gregori Mikhailovich can be described in one word, broad. Broad shoulders, broad chest and big hands, everything about the man radiates a kind of brutish cunning. The rear Admiral is an intimidating figure, even entering his later years. While no taller than the other men in the room, Mikhailovich is a big man beneath his blue dress jacket and his bearded face is square and well-proportioned. The Rear Admiral is wearing his service cap almost as an afterthought. His green eyes are caged by wrinkles and are set with an almost palpable look of distaste. There's a pinkish pallor to the human's skin, but it hardly makes him look more amicable.

With a reputation for daring and often brutal tactics, the Admiral of the 63rd Scout Flotilla has a nasty reputation, one that he does nothing to dissuade. However, Mikhailovich's successes in combat and his indisputable effectiveness against fighting the raids coming from the Terminus systems have allowed the Rear Admiral some measure of popularity with the Joint Military Chiefs and members of the Alliance Parliament, which in turn allows the man to stick his nose into situations when he feels his presence is necessary. Apparently, the candidacy of the first human Spectre is one of those situations.

"We've all read the reports on Akuze," Captain David Anderson says, his voice heavy with exasperation. "We've got Shepard's testimony and your... assertions. What happened there was a disaster that could have been avoided."

The Rear Admiral fixes Anderson with a glare from across the table. "What exactly are you implying, _Captain_?" Mikhailovich's voice drips malice and places particular emphasis on the man's rank.

The forty-six year old Captain is the youngest human at the table, but Anderson has seen and done more than some members of longer lived species do in their entire lifetimes. That experience shows on his face. Though the coffee tones of his skin are more than enough to disguise the wrinkles that have started to line his face, every one of his years weigh down the bags under his soft brown eyes. The Captain's brown hair is shaved close to his head and his face is clean of any facial hair. It's a look Anderson hasn't bothered to change since joining the Alliance.

Anderson is one of the Alliance's first N7 graduates and he's set the standard ever since. Though not nearly as celebrated by the public as legends like Grissom and Hackett are, Anderson enjoys a large amount of respect from those within the Alliance's military ranks, and has the ear of several prominent Admirals, Hackett included. Hackett's personal recommendation is one of the main reasons that Anderson is a part of the current deliberations.

There's also the fact that Anderson is one of the few humans in the galaxy who has worked alongside a Council Spectre.

Anderson cooly stares Mikhailovich down. "I'm only saying that either you're right about what happened on Akuze, or you're not. Either way, someone dropped the damn ball."

"We're not here to argue either of those things," Hackett interjects, his voice laced with irritation. "The fact remains: Shepard survived what nobody could have and managed to get back in one piece. The man is a fighter, through and through. Hell, we all know that Akuze remains the only stain on an otherwise impeccable success record. That man has more successful high-risk operations under his belt than any other marine in Alliance history."

Mikhailovich snorts and shakes his head. "I still say Commander Riley is a better choice for the candidacy. She's the hero of the Blitz, for Christ's sake."

"She's also the 'Butcher of Torfan'," Udina says with a sigh. "The last thing we need is any more spotlight on that woman than she's already got. Never should have sent her to fight batarians in the first place, especially considering her history with them."

"I'm not concerned with what happened to a bunch of murderers and pirates," Mikhailovich declares. "What I am concerned with is making sure that the right person gets nominated for this candidacy. Commander Riley is the best Combat Engineer in the Alliance. She managed to hold off an entire pirate invasion force on her own."

"Exaggeration," Hackett states. "She started a local resistance movement alongside other off-duty soldiers and civilian volunteers."

"Which proves that she's the right candidate for the Spectre training. She's an amazing leader and doesn't flinch from duty. Hell, Riley is the only reason that Elysium was still standing before the _Agincourt_ showed up with reinforcements.

"And Shepard was part of those reinforcements," Anderson says. "Reports indicate that his unit took out the majority of the ground troops."

"And he was able to do so because Riley had them scattered and scared out of their minds," Mikhailovich snaps. "She held off that army with an outdated assault rifle, a combat drone and a handful of volunteers. If that's not Spectre-worthy, then nothing is."

"She has one hell of a grudge against the batarians," Udina mutters. "I have a feeling that she'd wipe them all out if she could."

"You can hardly blame her," Anderson says quietly. "She lost everything when those slavers attacked Mindoir, and she was only a kid when it happened. It takes a strong person to get past that sort of thing, and an even stronger one to do what she does in spite of it."

"Torfan was a disaster," Udina reiterates. "Commander Riley got most of her unit killed and slaughtered everyone she came across. Hell, Major Donovan Kyle never recovered from that mess. Had to discharge him. Man was unstable after what Riley did."

"Shepard was on Torfan too," Mikhailovich snaps. "If you're going to make a criminal out of Commander Riley, then you'd better do the same to him. By all accounts, Shepard's actions killed just as many batarians as Riley's did."

"Semantics," Hackett states. "Shepard killed combatants. Riley killed anything that moved, POW's included. Shepard has more restraint than Riley does."

Mikhailovich shakes his head. "We're looking for a Spectre, aren't we? What does restraint have to do with anything?"

"You should probably address that question to our guest," Anderson says quietly.

The four men nervously shift their gazes to the room's fifth occupant who, until now, has remained silent and hasn't moved in his seat. The light is low enough so that he's cloaked in shadow, but even a shadow shows that its owner isn't human.

The turian Spectre, Nihlus Kryik, leans forward in his seat and places his elbows on the table. The light catches his face and illuminates his the brown and white of his facial markings and his mandibles, both of which are splayed out in an intimidating manner. His eyes are as alien as anything else; neon turquoise orbs that wouldn't look out of place on a predatory bird.

He's the only one in the room wearing armor and it's a top of the line suit. Gunmetal black with blood-red markings and bright-red lighting, the turian's meduim-grade armor has been sculpted to protect his raptor-like physique while still allowing for the flexibility the Spectre needs in combat.

The Spectre's mandibles twitch as he looks over the datapad in his left claw. He's not looking at the others, but his enhanced peripheral vision allows the turian to see the expressions of quiet unease on Anderson and Hackett's faces, as well as the obvious distrust he can see in the eyes of Udina and Mikhailovich.

Nihlus has the most influential humans in the Alliance spooked, and he hasn't said a word.

"Both Ramesh Shepard and Lee Riley have exemplary service records," the turian begins, each word accented by the flange of his vocal chords, "Aside of course from what the Alliance believes to be black marks, Akuze and Torfan, respectively." He makes a show out of looking over his datapad. "The files show near-constant duty rotations for both Commander Shepard and Commander Riley, though Shepard has a three month gap in his service in the year 2177. I assume that this was indicative of his recovery time after the incident on Akuze."

Anderson nods. "He was on psych evals for a few months. He objected, of course, said he was fit for duty, but we didn't take any chances. The rest of his platoon died down there. Ramesh was the sole survivor out of fifty men."

Nihlus shifts his gaze to Mikhailovich. "That was your operation, correct?"

The Rear Admiral blanches and his face goes red with anger. "Shepard botched that mission. He-"

Hackett fixes Mikhailovich with a glare and the man quiets almost instantly. The Fleet Admiral turns back to Nihlus, a more composed look on his face. "Shepard wasn't in charge of the ground team, Major Solomon Prescott was. He died down there with the rest of the unit, I'm sorry to say. Nobody could have predicted a thresher maw attack." Hackett looks back at Mikhailovich and folds his arms. "You don't get to heap the blame for that operation on Shepard simply because he's the only one who came back."

The Rear Admiral glares but stays quiet. Even one as outspoken as Mikhailovich knows better than to risk getting put on Steven Hackett's shit list.

Nihlus ignores the argument and focuses his attention on Udina. "I'm reading here that Commander Riley was pulled from active duty for a month after what occurred on Torfan. Did she also receive psych evaluations?"

The Ambassador's reply is rife with exasperation. "No, but several Alliance officials wanted to keep her out of the spotlight for a time. Riley was, and still is, to a degree, our Alliance soldier ideal after the Skyllian Blitz."

"And having the Hero of Elysium painted as a murderer would be hazardous for recruiting."

Udina merely shrugs. "It's all there in the reports, Spectre Kryik."

Nihlus glances over the files in front of him. "Shepard's survival is rather remarkable, though Riley's defense of Elysium is equally impressive." He looks up at the humans sitting across from him. "Shepard and Riley have had relations at one point?"

"They went through their N7 training together," Anderson tells the turian, as if trying to cover for a pair of horny teenagers. "Their combat styles mesh well and they've been paired for several high-risk operations."

"I understand. Such things are fairly common between comrades in arms."

Hackett places his arms on the table, his worn hands folded over one another. "It's never been an issue, though they have kept things somewhat clandestine. No formal request to pursue romantic involvement, or anything like it."

"Are they still intimate?" the turian asks, not looking up from his datapad.

Udina rubs the back of his neck and glances at the other humans in the room. "I don't see what this has anything to do with-"

"They're not," Hackett says, cutting the Ambassador off. "I've spoken to Shepard recently concerning his relationship with the Staff Commander. He shrugged and told me that it was just an on/off switch. I don't believe that he sees a future with her." Hackett shifts in his seat, his gaze not once leaving the Spectre. "Commander Riley has a... I suppose you could call it a cavalier attitude. She's very professional, but hardly reserved. She enjoys the spotlight and is very open and vocal. Shepard is the opposite. The man is quiet, likes to think before speaking and doesn't act until he believes it is necessary."

"Understood." Nihlus looks each human in the eye, his gaze never settling for too long on any one man. "I hope you all realize that I need as much information as possible in order to determine personality types. It takes a certain kind of individual to be a Spectre." Nihlus' mandibles twitch as he focuses his gaze on Udina. "To address your concern, Ambassador, I'm just as much interested in the little details as I am the big ones. You'll find that the little details have more impact on an individual. I ask a question, I expect a straight answer. Are we clear?"

He gets two quick, assertive nods from Anderson and Hackett, while Mikhailovich and Udina are a bit more hesitant.

The Spectre looks back down at the datapad and scrolls through another few lines of text. "It says here that Shepard was accused of taking red sand." He locks eyes with Hackett. "By one Fleet Admiral Steven Hackett."

The Admiral doesn't bat an eyelash at the turian's tone, something the Nihlus can respect. "This was after Torfan, when Shepard was under my command. I suspected that the Commander was dusting up, though I didn't have any proof. I ordered a full series of tests to be done, all of them came back negative."

"Do you believe he was using?" the Spectre asks. "Red sand passes from a human body rather quickly, at least if it's used on an irregular basis. He could have been lucky enough to be on the tail end of a hit when you ordered your tests."

"The tests were negative," Hackett states. "I only know what my gut told me at the time and what the doctors found out."

"That is not what I asked, Admiral."

Hackett sighs and glances at his hands. "I've been Alliance my entire life, Spectre. I've learned to trust what my instincts tell me. And at the time, my instincts were telling me that Shepard was taking an illegal substance while on-duty." The Admiral looks into Nihlus' hard eyes. "And I don't think I was wrong."

Nihlus is quiet for a moment as he studies his datapad. Whatever thoughts he carries after Hackett's declaration are his own.

"It appears that Commander Riley has a few strikes against her as well," the turian states after a few minutes of silence. "A few notes for drunk and disorderly conduct."

"It wasn't anything significant," Mikhailovich interjects, a little defensive. "An altercation with some Terminus merchants at a bar a few years back. Nothing of any real importance."

"The report says that she put three people in the hospital. They were batarians."

"And she was reprimanded accordingly," Mikhailovich snaps. The Rear Admiral remembers who he's talking to and has has the good sense to look somewhat nervous.

Nihlus ignores Mikhailovich's tone and looks over the files again. "Shepard is a biotic. L3 implants. How advanced are his biotic abilities?"

Anderson leans forward in his seat. "He's a very powerful biotic, considering the circumstances. His talents manifested at age 14 but he kept them hidden until the day he enlisted. His father, Rear Admiral Sabul Shepard, was strongly against human biotics. Claimed they were 'unnatural'. It was a breaking point between the two."

It's Mikhailovich who speaks next, though his tone is still laced with disdain. "The man has the basic mnemonics mastered; the pull, throw and warp abilities. Strong barriers too, though I know he doesn't like using them. He's more of a techie when it comes to defense. Uses strong shields, tech armor, that sort of thing. Aside from that, his biotics are a bit limited. He can't make a singularity or put a target in stasis."

"The biotics abilities he uses are techniques he's mastered," Hackett says. "I've seen him do more damage with simple biotic throws than some Adept-class biotics can do with their shockwaves."

"He's methodical," Udina agrees. "Always tries to improve his skills. I met him on Arcturus years ago, before Akuze. I was part of Parliament back then, on a goodwill trip to visit our fighting forces. I introduced myself while he was training." The Ambassador chuckles. "He nodded and went right back to tearing apart a practice dummy with a warp. I got the sense that he didn't think too highly of me, being a politician."

Nihlus gives his right mandible a scratch with his free claw and leans back in his seat. "And Riley? Her file lists her as being a Combat Engineer, though that doesn't give me much of an idea of what her skillset happens to be."

Mikhailovich is quick to defend his preferred candidate, and the man does so with a smirk. Nihlus is finding the Rear Admiral more and more distasteful with every moment. "Riley is a combat specialist," the human begins, "but she's a systems engineer at heart. She uses top of the line omni-tool programs to keep her targets fumbling and off-balance, then she goes for the kill. She's also a wizard with explosives."

The turian arcs a brow. "Wizard?"

Mikhailovich stammers a little. "It means... she's extremely proficient with modern explosive technology."

Anderson nods and looks over at the attending Spectre. "Staff Commander Riley is the reason several of our current omni-tool upgrades exist today. She overhauled basic work with the standard combat drone program, making it a much more durable and practical solution on the battlefield. She's also extremely skilled with tech mines and system hacking. I don't think there's a firewall out there that Riley can't crack. Failing that, I'm sure she'd find a way to blow it up."

"And Shepard? You mentioned the Commander had some experience with omni-tool combat applications."

"Shepard's a genius with an omni-tool," Hackett tells the Spectre. "Riley relies almost entirely on her gear to deal with enemy defenses. Shepard's biotics give him a bit more flexibility when it comes to implementing his omni-tool systems, and it's allowed him to do some amazing things with his gear. Most of them are of a defensive nature, but he's also pioneered a few breakthroughs in modern omni-tool applications."

Nihlus' left brow-plate quirks up a little as he reads through Shepard's tech file. "So I see. The Lieutenant Commander is the inventor of the cryo-blast program?"

A light smile plays over Udina's features, offsetting the normally bland expression the Ambassador wears. "He co-opted the patent with the Alliance and Ariake Technologies. There was quite the stir in the galactic marketplace when that particular application hit the market, if I recall correctly."

Nihlus doesn't reply, but he's quietly impressed. The cryo-blast program is one of the most significant omni-tool developments in the last century. Sending heat or electrical charges through an omni-tool is one thing, but turning a tech mine into a blast of ice that can flash-freeze nearly anything in just a few short seconds? That kind of ingenuity is unheard of outside salarian or quarian research teams. Nihlus uses the cryo-blast program himself, and regularly.

"He's a combat tech expert," Hackett states, drawing Nihlus out of his thoughts. "Probably would've been a Combat Engineer himself if it wasn't for the biotics. His talents file him under the Sentinel initiative, and he's the only N7 Sentinel in the Alliance."

Hackett's words fade as silence engulfs the room. There's a nervousness in the air and all of it is coming from the humans.

Nihlus looks up from his datapad, his alien features unreadable. "Thank you, gentlemen. I'll forward my recommendation within the hour. Admiral Hackett, I'd like to speak to you for a moment, if you can spare it." The turian doesn't tell the other humans that they are dismissed, but he knows he doesn't need to. The intent is clear to everyone.

Udina leaves first, rising from his chair with an air of exhaustion that seems to permeate the air around the man. His lips move silently as he walks out of the the room, as though the Ambassador is already working out what he's going to tell Parliament. Mikhailovich follows close behind, his eyes rigidly forward as he stomps past Nihlus.

Anderson stands, salutes Hackett and walks away without a word. He gives Nihlus a respectful nod as he walks past, one that the turian reciprocates. When everyone but the Admiral and the Spectre remain, they lock eyes.

"Something you didn't want the others to hear?" Hackett asks quietly.

Nihlus rises out of his seat and walks around the table to the room's solitary window. He gazes out into the stars, his hands held firmly behind his back. "No, but I did need some additional details that only you can give me."

Hackett stands and walks over to Nihlus, joining the Spectre in looking out into the depths of space. "Ask what you need to ask, then."

"You seem to have equal respect for the abilities of both Commander Shepard and Commander Riley. Yet I noticed that you seemed to push for Shepard more than Riley. I'd like to hear your thoughts on the matter, Admiral, without the trepidation of the Ambassador or the complaints of the Rear Admiral. You humans are far too confrontational and conflicted for my taste. It's better to get an honest answer from one of you than it is to get a majority opinion from a group. I chose you. Not only do you have rank, you also have my respect."

Hackett is silent for a moment before speaking, and he starts out slow. "I consider Ramesh Shepard and Lee Riley to be the best humanity has to offer, even with their flaws and mistakes. I'm sure either of them would be excellent Spectres."

Nihlus gives the Admiral a sidelong glance. "But?"

Hackett sighs and adjusts his cap. "But Shepard is the better choice between the two. The man works best when given autonomy, and he's calm in almost any situation. People call him cold, but he's just reserved. He doesn't get attached or emotional, at least not to the degree where it interferes with his work."

"Your choice of words suggests that Commander Riley is not as professional as you would like."

"She's been known to put personal goals ahead of mission parameters. It wasn't an issue until Torfan, but it hasn't surfaced since. I'd like to make sure the Alliance can keep it that way." Hackett doesn't meet the turian's gaze, but he doesn't need to. Words are enough.

"You want to keep her under Alliance jurisdiction in order to keep an eye on her."

Hackett stares out into space, as though he's trying to find the right words hidden between the light of the stars. "At the end of the day, it's not my decision. I wish to hell that it was, but I'm having to take a side seat to the politicking. I know that a human Spectre is a hell of an opportunity, especially considering what happened with Anderson."

Nihlus nods. "It's good to see that the incident on Camala hasn't affected his career with the Alliance. Captain Anderson. It suits him."

"He's a good man," Hackett says quietly. "A fantastic soldier. The Alliance would've lost one of its best if someone had decided to sideline Anderson after that mess with Saren." The Admiral's tone takes on a bitter note. "Though I suppose we would have lost him anyway had things turned out differently."

"And you're concerned that the Alliance will lose either Riley or Shepard if one of them is inducted into the Spectres."

"The Council takes priority over my concerns," Hackett states dryly. "I'm just here to make sure the process goes smoothly. This is Anderson's operation until the _Normandy_ gets transferred to Mikhailovich and the 63rd Scout Flotilla. Then it's out of my hands."

"You'd rather it wasn't?"

Hackett turns and looks Nihlus straight in the eyes. "I don't have a choice. Either way, the Navy loses one hell of a soldier. If it were up to me, you'd be getting Ramesh. I'd rather not hand over one of the most decorated marines in Alliance history, but I know he'd be the best for the job."

Nihlus faces the Admiral and fixes him with an intense gaze. "Just one more question, Admiral."

"Go ahead."

"There's a line that Spectres need to be able to cross in order to be able to do what they do. Contrary to popular belief, the Council doesn't have as much pull over us as they'd like to. Spectres have one mandate, one goal. We protect galactic stability, no matter the cost. Nothing can get in the way of that; no moral code, no sense of duty, nothing. We are the first and last line of defense for a stable galaxy. There is no sacrifice too large to ensure stability. We are heroes when it is viable and villains when it is necessary. All things are secondary to our goal."

"I'm aware of what the Spectres do," Hackett says, his voice taking on an edge as it rises to challenge Nihlus' vocal intimidation. "Get to the point."

The Spectre smiles for the first time since arriving aboard the Kilimanjaro. "My 'point', as you have called it, is this. I am under the impression that Commander Riley has already crossed that line, likely before the events that occured on Torfan, but she made the mistake of making things personal. I can't condone that in a Spectre."

"And what can you condone?"

"Self sufficiency. A willingness to survive in the face of impossible odds. A no-nonsense attitude. These are characteristics that Ramesh Shepard seems to exemplify. But I need to know how far the Lieutenant Commander is willing to go in order to accomplish his goals. Do you believe Admiral, that if it was found to be necessary, that Shepard would be able to cross the line that all Spectres need to cross?"

Hackett's steely gaze doesn't waver in the slightest. "Yes, Spectre Kryik."

"I believe he would."

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**LM here,**

**Well, here we are again. Me and Mass Effect. Mass Effect and I. **

**Somebody pull this gun away from my head before I pull the trigger.**

**In all seriousness though, I was looking through some of my past work, trying to see just how much I've improved my writing since FaW, and I found myself falling back into those old scenes, those characters I had invested all that time into. It was a bit like going through boxes of old memories during a move. You're supposed to be cleaning things out, putting things away and leaving them in boxes, but you find yourself smiling in remembrance and drifting off on waves of nostalgia. It was a good feeling, one that has been sorely lacking since my angry departure from Mass Effect after that gods-awful ending in ME3. (Yes, I've played the Extended Cut and yes, it is an improvement. That being said, a bad ending is still bad, and all the little improvement DLC's in the world won't change that.)**

**Deep in the seas of nostalgia and looking for a way to distract myself from all that is the real world, I jumped into the first Mass Effect, knowing full well what I was getting myself into but doing it anyway. I switched the difficulty to Hardcore, started a new character with an ethnicity other than Caucasian (A pretty good custom face, if I do say so myself), a background combo I hadn't tried before and a class that I hadn't attempted on the first game until that moment. I went in telling myself this was going to be my Tali-only romance, so no lovin' in game one. I went in telling myself that Ramesh Shepard was going to be less of a goody-two-shoes than my previous models. I went in telling myself that his choices would reflect not my perception of events and my god-like ability to see two games into the future, but the uncertain sort of caution placed upon the shoulders of men who are forced to make hard choices.**

**And I had fun. I had a blast. I developed a connection to Ramesh that hadn't existed with my other cookie-cutter Shepards. I saw how he interacted with his crew and the choices he made based on the information he had been given. It made him more real than any Shepard I had played before, and made his significance in the next two games that much heavier. **

**So yeah, I'm playing Mass Effect again. And yeah, I'm doing a story about it, one that will follow the events of the first game, but is focused on Ramesh and Tali. It's a different story than FaW, because I'm not the same writer I was when I wrote that piece. **

**Cross your fingers and give me a reassuring pat on the back. I'll need as much encouragement as I can to get through this.**

**Levi Matthews**


End file.
